Komba Mondeh
| Komba Mondeh | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces | |
| In office 1987 – present | |
| Vice Chairman of the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) | |
| In office January 16, 1996 – March 29, 1996 | |
| Chief of the Defence Staff of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces | |
| In office 1992–1996 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Komba Sylvester Mansa-Musa Mondeh October 31, 1966 Freetown, Sierra Leone |
| Nationality | Sierra Leonean |
| Political party | Non |
| Residence | Freetown, Sierra Leone |
| Alma mater | University of Ibadan |
| Profession | Soldier |
| Religion | Islam |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Sierra Leone |
| Service/branch | Sierra Leone Army |
| Years of service | 1986-present |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Battles/wars | Sierra Leone Civil War Liberian Civil War |
| Awards | Best Foreign Student- National War College, Nigeria |
Brigadier General Komba Sylvester Mansa-Musa Mondeh psc, fwc, MSc (born October 31, 1966 in Freetown, Sierra Leone) is a former top-ranking officer in the Sierra Leonean army. Mondeh was one of six young soldiers in the Sierra Leonean Army that ousted president Joseph Saidu Momoh led All People's Congress (APC) government in on April 29, 1992. He served as the Chief of the Defence Staff of the NPRC administration from 1992 to 1996.
He operated as the Sector Commander Sector West UNAMID Darfur (Sudan) until he was forced into retirement in June 2013.[1]
Early life
Brig Gen Mondeh was born into academic and diplomatic world in the Njala University Community. His late father Dr. Renner Eric Mondeh (a Kono by tribe) was a Lecturer and a Diplomat. His mother Mrs. Rose C Mondeh hails from Bonthe District, Southern Sierra Leone. Mondeh was educated at the Albert Academy School in Freetown. He then attended the Njala University College, Moyamba District, Sierra Leone.
Military career
Mondeh was commissioned into the Sierra Leone Army in 1991 as a Second Lieutenant. Though he was commissioned as a very young man, he scored several successes leading troops in battle during the Sierra Leone’s 10 years old rebel war. He was very integral in the planning and execution of the recapture of Pendembu, Kailahun, Kono, Mile 38, Nomo Fayama and Sierra Rutile. It was because of this exceptional performance that he was sent as a true patriot to pursue his Senior Division Staff Course in the Federal Republic of Nigeria in July 1996. He performed so well at the Senior Division Course that he was invited to proceed to the Nigerian War College the following year, where he got, in addition to his military qualification, a Masters degree in Strategic Studies. He was also awarded the ‘Best International Student’ amongst other foreign nationals including Ghanaians, Tanzanians, Kenyans, Namibians and Angolans. He pursued his Masters Degree program in Strategic Studies at the University of Ibadan –Nigeria between September 1998 – July 1999.
At the rank of Colonel in May 1999, General Mondeh was appointed Defence Adviser to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where he served for over four years. On his return from Nigeria in October 2003, he was appointed Commander of the 5 Infantry Brigade in Gondama, BO district. His performance as Brigade Commander resulted in him being elevated to the appointment of Assistant Chief of Defence Staff for Personnel and Training, at the Ministry of Defence in December 2005. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in July 2007. Due to his assiduousness, he was further elevated into a more senior appointment of Assistant Chief of Defence Staff for Operations and Plans in October 2008. With this appointment, he supervised all Land, Sea and Air Operations in the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, including supervising military Intelligence, Communications and Information Systems, and Peace support Operations.
Commands Held
Commander Bravo Company: Tiger battalion- Daru
Commander Alpha Company LEOBATT3 ECOMOG
Task Force Commander – RSLMF Operation Ranger Storm
Commander 5 Infantry Brigade
Chief of Staff- Sierra Leone Army
Commander Sector South UNAMID Nyala Darfur (Sudan)
Acting Force Commander UNAMID Nyala Darfur (Sudan)
Commander Sector West UNAMID El-Geneina Darfur (Sudan)
Staff Appointments held
Intelligence officer LEOBATT3 ECOMOG
Director of Training and Operations – Ministry of Defence (MoD)
Defence Adviser to Nigeria
Assistant Chief of Defence Staff for Personnel & Training – MoD
Assistant Chief of Defence Staff for Operations & Plans – MoD
State Appointments
Secretary of State Marine Resources – Government Sierra Leone
Under Secretary of State Defence – Government of Sierra Leone
Battles/Wars
The Sierra Leone Rebel War
The Liberia Rebel War
Awards
Gallantry Medal
Best Foreign Student- National War College, Nigeria
Retirement
Mondeh was one of 21 high-ranking officers, including four Brigadier-Generals, controversially forced into retirement in June 2013. Mondeh was nine years under the compulsory retirement age, and his ousting was alleged to have been as a result of his participation in the 1992 coup.[1]
Personal and Family Life
Mondeh was born at the Westend Hospital in Edward Street in Freetown. His birth was that of “Sadness and Joy” because his Grandfather- Sahr musa Mondewa, Died on the very day he was born. He spent his formative years at Njala University College and Lagos-Nigeria, where he grew up with his parents, who were in the academic and diplomatic fields respectively.
Papimoe was a very cheerful and intelligent person, who was always interested in Current affairs. He always took interest in current news and activities. He is also was a keen sports man and cherishes playing soccer, Squash, Body Buildibg and Badminton. During his undergraduate course at the Njala University College, he seized the window of opportunity in 1991 for enlistment as cadet in the Sierra Leone Army, after doing some job stints in various organizations.. He was trained at the Benguema Training Centre now the Armed Forces Training Centre and commissioned the same year. He was also appointed as the senior most cadet (Out of 40 civilian Cadet recruited at the same time into Republic Sierra Leone Military Forces (RSLMF), this way he had started displaying leadership qualities.
Brig Gen Mondeh is happily married to Mrs. Rashida Mondeh. God has blessed the couples with children. Mondeh lists his hobbies as watching and playing Soccer, Squash, Volleyball, Walking, Jogging, Body building, Cross-country driving and listening to variety of classical and country music.
Styles and Honours
- Mr. Komba Sylvester Mansa-Musa Mondeh (1988-1991)
- Officer Cadet Komba Sylvester Mansa-Musa Mondeh (1991– through various other ranks- 1996)
- Colonel Komba Sylvester Mansa-Musa Mondeh (1996-2007)
- Brigadier General Sylvester Mansa-Musa Mondeh psc, fwc, MSc (2007- date)
- Gallantry Medal – 27 April 1994 (Captain KSM Mondeh – Principal liaison Officer 1)
- Best Foreign Student – National War College Course 6 (Colonel KSM Mondeh, psc, fwc)
- Master of Science in Strategic Studies – University of Ibadan, Nigeria (Colonel KSM Mondeh, psc, fwc, MSc)
- Brigade Commander, 2003-2005 (Colonel KSM Mondeh, psc, fwc, MSc)
- Assistant Chief of Defence Staff for Personnel and Training 2005 - 2008(Colonel/Brig Gen KSM Mondeh, psc, fwc, MSc)
- Assistant Chief of Defence Staff for Operations and Plans 2008-2010 (Brig Gen KSM Mondeh, psc, fwc, MSc)
- Sector Commander South UNAMID Nyala Darfur (Sudan)2010 - 2011
- Acting Force Commander UNAMID Nyala Darfur (Sudan)April - May 2011
- Sector Commander West UNAMID El-Geneina Darfur (Sudan)11 August 2011 to Present.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kemo Cham (June 5, 2013). "Sierra Leone on mass retirement of military officers". Africa Review. Retrieved November 7, 2013.